 The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 2 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The Interior Castle, or the Mansions, by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 2. She speaks of certain ways by which our Lord awakens the soul, in which there seems to be no grounds for fear, etc. With regard to other exterior troubles which the devils raise, they are certainly neither so usual and therefore they need not be mentioned here. Neither are they so painful because whatever may be their effect, they never, in my opinion, incapacitate the powers, nor disturb the soul in this manner. For reason remains free to consider that the devils can do no more than our Lord shall permit them, and when this is not lost, all is little in comparison with what I have mentioned above. I shall now proceed to mention other interior afflictions which are endured in these mansions, and I shall speak of different kinds of prayer and favors of our Lord. Some of these, as is evident by the effects they leave in the body, are harder to be endured than the others. But they do not deserve the name of troubles, nor have we any reason to call them so, as they are such great favors of our Lord and the soul, when in the midst of them knows they are such, and that they are not merited by her. This great affliction comes, together with many others, when the soul is ready to enter the seventh mansion. Some of them I will mention, for to mention all is impossible, nor can they be described as they are in reality, because their origin is more noble than those mentioned before. And as I was unable to explain better than I did, those of a meaner kind, much less can I explain these. May our Lord give me assistance in all his favors, through the merits of his Son, Amen. It seems as if we have left our dove long since, and yet we have not. For these are troubles which make her soar the higher. I will now begin to mention in what manner the spouse acts towards her. Before he becomes holy hers, he makes himself greatly desired by certain ways, so subtle that the soul herself does not discover them, nor can, I think, make them intelligible, except to persons who have some experience therein. Some impulses are so delicate and subtle, as they proceed from the very interior of the soul, that I know no comparison suitable for the explanation of them. They are very different from all that we can procure ourselves, and likewise from the delights already mentioned. For very often, without imagining such a thing, or remembering God, His Majesty awakens one by lightning or thunder as it were. And though no noise is heard, yet the soul clearly perceives she was called by God, and this is so evident, that sometimes it makes her tremble all over, especially at first, and makes her utter complaints, though she may feel no pain. She feels herself to be most delightfully wounded, and she neither knows how, nor by whom. She knows well it is a favor which is to be prized, and she wishes never to be healed. She complains in words of love, and these are external. She cannot do otherwise, to her spouse, knowing him to be present, but not willing to manifest himself. This is a great but pleasant affliction, and if she desires not to have it, she cannot, nor does she ever wish it to leave her. For it gives her more delight than the suspension of the prayer of quiet, which has no such affliction attached to it. I am very anxious, sisters, to make you understand this operation of love, but I know not how. For it seems a contradiction that the beloved, though not seen, should let the soul clearly perceive he is in her, and he seems to call her by a sign so certain that it cannot be doubted, and with a whistle so penetrating that she cannot help hearing it, for it seems that when the spouse thus speaks to her, she is in the seventh mansion, and all the people who are in the other mansions, these, the senses, the imagination, and the faculties, dare not stir. Oh, my powerful God, how great are thy secrets, and how different are spiritual things from all that is seen or known here on earth! In no way is one able to express this small operation, in comparison with the very great ones which thou dost work in souls. This whistle operates so powerfully in the soul, that she even consumes herself with longing, and yet knows not what to ask, because she is strongly persuaded that her God is with her. You will ask, if she knows so much, what does she desire? What is it that troubles her? What greater good does she desire? I know not, but this I know well, that she suffers, and that this pain pierces even into her very bowels, and that when he who wounds her draws forth the dart, he seems therewith to tear them away, so powerful are her sentiments of love. I was thinking just now that if a small spark should fly out from a pan of live coals, for such is my God, and fall upon a soul in such a way as to make her feel the fire encendled, and yet not be sufficient to consume her, she continues in that pain which is so delightful, and when the sparks touch her, they cause this operation. This seems to be the best comparison I can find, for this pleasant pain is not properly a pain, nor does it continue in the same degree, though sometimes it lasts a long while, and at other times it ceases immediately, as our Lord is pleased to communicate it, for it is not to be attained by human means. But though it sometimes lasts a long while, yet it goes and comes, in a word it never stands still, and therefore it does not cease to inflame the soul, except when, as she is ready to be encendled, the spark dies, and leaves her with a desire of suffering again that amorous pain which the spark causes. There is no reason to think that it comes from nature, or is caused by melancholy, much less that it is a delusion of the devil, or the effect of fancy, because it is a matter which shows us clearly that this motion comes from the place where our Lord is, who is immutable, and its operations are not like those of other devotions, in which the high transport of the delight may make us doubt. Here all the senses and powers, without any suspension, wonder what this is, without being able to prevent it, or increase, or take away, in my opinion, this delightful pain. Let the person on whom our Lord bestows this favor, and if he have already received it, he will easily understand it when he reads these words. Give him many thanks, for the person need not fear about its being a delusion, but lest he be ungrateful for so great a favor. Let him also strive his utmost to serve him, and in everything amend his life. And then he will see what will be the effect, and how he will receive still more and more. Though a certain person on whom this was bestowed spent some years with it, being highly pleased with this favor, yet even though she should have served our Lord for several years in great affliction, yet she was abundantly recompensed thereby. May he be blessed forever, amen. You may ask, how can there be greater security in this than in other things? In my opinion, this is greater for these reasons. First, because the devil can never produce so pleasant a pain as this. He can, indeed, give a certain delight which seems spiritual, but to unite a pain so very great with the quiet and joy of the soul he is unable. For all his strength is outward, and his trials, when he sends them, are never, in my opinion, sweet or peaceful, but restless and turbulent. Secondly, because this delightful tempest arises from another quarter, far different from that over which he has any power. Thirdly, on account of the great benefits which remain in the soul, which are generally resolutions to suffer for God, a desire of having many afflictions, and being more determined to abandon all delights and earthly conversations, and other such-like things. That all this is no fancy is most evident, because though the devil may sometimes endeavor, he cannot counterfeit it, because it is a matter so well known, that in no way can it be feigned. I mean, it cannot seem to be what it is not, nor can it be doubted whether it be such. If there should be any such, be assured they are not true impulses, because these are as clearly perceived as a great sound is by the ears. There is no probability of its being melancholy, because that forms all its conceits in the imagination, but this other proceeds from the interior of the soul. It is possible I may be mistaken, but till I hear stronger reasons from one who understands the subject, I shall adhere to my opinion. I know one who is very fearful respecting these delusions, so that you need not fear about this kind of prayer. Our Lord also employs other ways of awakening the soul, for example when she is praying vocally, and not thinking at all on any interior subject, a certain delightful ardor seems suddenly to seize her, as if so strong a scent should arise immediately as to communicate itself to all the senses. I do not say it is a scent, but I only make use of this as a comparison. But this is only to show that there the spouse is exciting in the soul a delicious desire of enjoying him, whereby she is prepared to do heroic acts. And to give praise to our Lord. The origin of this favor is that already mentioned, but here there is no pain, nor are the desires of enjoying God painful. And this is what the soul generally feels, for there seems to me little grounds to fear for reasons already mentioned, but we must only endeavor to receive this favor with thanks. End of the Sixth Mansion, Chapter 2 The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 3 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The Interior Castle, or the Mansions, by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 3 The same subject is continued. She shows the way by which God speaks to the soul, etc. Our Lord has another way of awakening the soul, which, though in some sense it may seem a greater favor than the one already mentioned, yet may prove more dangerous, and therefore I will enter into a few particulars about it. It is affected by certain discourses, which in various ways He makes to the soul. Some of these seem to come from without, others from the interior of the soul, others from the superior part, while others are so much in the exterior as to be heard with the ears, so that there seems to be a formed voice. Sometimes, and often, it may be only fancy, especially if the persons have a weak imagination, or are subject to great melancholy. No attention is, in my opinion, to be paid to these two kinds of persons, though they tell us that they see, hear, and understand. Nor are they to be troubled by being told it is the devil, but they should be heard as sick persons, and the priorous or confessor to whom they discover this should tell them not to pay any regard to it, for this is not a matter to serve God by, and the devil has deceived many by this way, but perhaps it will not happen thus to them. We may speak in this way in order not to afflict them, but if the priorous and confessor tell them plainly that it is melancholy, they will never believe it. They will swear they see and hear it because it seems so to them. It is true necessary care should be taken to prevent them from attending too much to prayer, and they should be persuaded, as much as possible, not to heed such things, because the devil is accustomed to make use of such weak souls as these, if not to their own destruction, at least to the injury of others. Such things are always to be feared until the Spirit be understood. I consider it best to resist these discourses at first, because if they come from God they are a great help to advance us onward. They also increase when they are thus tried. This is the case, but the soul should not be troubled too much, for truly she cannot do otherwise. Let us now return to what I was saying about the discourses with the soul. The different kinds which I have mentioned may come either from God, or from the devil, or from one's own imagination. I shall mention, if I can, by the divine assistance, the marks belonging to these different kinds, and also when these discourses become dangerous, for there are many souls among persons of prayer who perceive them, and I do not wish you, sisters, to imagine you do ill either in believing them or not believing them. When they are only for your own pleasure, or to reveal to you your defects, let them come once they may, or whether they be true or false, it matters little. One thing I warn you against, not to think the better of yourselves on their account, even though they should come from God, for our Lord spoke frequently with the Pharisees. All our good consists in the way we take advantage of these words. Pay no more attention to any discourse which is not exactly conformable to Scripture than if you heard the devil himself, because though they come from your weak imagination, yet you must consider them as temptations about points of faith, therefore always resist them, that they may leave you, and they will vanish, for of themselves they have little strength. Let us return then to the first point. It matters little for believing that they come from God, whether these words proceed from the interior or superior part, or from the exterior. The most certain signs they can have are, in my opinion, the following. The first and truest are the authority and dominion which such discourses give with them, these, by speaking and working at the same time. I will explain my meaning a little clearer. A soul, for example, is quite overpowered by affliction, and that internal restlessness mentioned before, together with aridity and a darkness upon the understanding. But by one such word, bidding her not to be troubled, she is freed from aridity, calmed, wonderfully enlightened, and all that sadness dispelled what she had before. Hence, if the whole world, and all the learned men therein, had united together in giving her reasons for not being grieved, they could not, for all their endeavors, remove that affliction. She is troubled because her confessor and others tell her she is possessed by an evil spirit. But by one word only, saying, It is I, be not afraid, she is freed from all fears and becomes very cheerful, and imagines no one is able to make her believe the contrary. She is exceedingly anxious about certain affairs of consequence, the success of which she cannot foresee, but she hears one tell her, Be quiet, for everything will go on well. Then she is certain and without care, and so with regard to many other things of this kind. The second sign is, a great quiet remaining in the soul, with a devout and peaceful recollection, and a disposition to praise God. O my Lord, if one word conveyed by one of thy attendants has such force, at least in this mansion, a word not spoken by our Lord Himself, but by an angel, what will thou leave in a soul, which by love is united to thee, and thou to her? The third sign is, that these words are not forgotten for a long time, and some are never forgotten, and as to those words which sometimes we hear spoken in this world, I mean by men, however grave and learned these persons may be, yet their words are not so deeply impressed on our memories, and much less do we give any credit to them. If they relate to things future, as these other words do, which leave such a great certainty after them, that sometimes in things which seem utterly impossible, there arises some doubt in the undertaking, whether they will prove true or false, and it wavers a little accordingly, yet there is in the soul herself such a deep security, that she cannot be persuaded otherwise, though everything seems to go against what she has heard, and though some years pass away, while she remains in this confidence, that God will employ other means unknown to men, and that in the end the things will come to pass, as indeed they do. Still, as I said, she cannot help suffering when she sees so many obstacles against her, for the operations which she had at the time, she heard the words, and the certainty which they left in her that they came from God, having now passed away, these doubts begin to arise, whether the words came from the devil or the imagination, but when she hears the words, she has no doubts or fears whatever, she would even die for this truth. But, as I said, what is the devil able to affect by these imaginations, which he certainly suggests, in order to afflict and intimidate the soul, especially if it be a matter wherein, if that which is heard should succeed, some great good to souls is likely to follow, and that works would be done, conducing much to the service of God, and that there be some great difficulty connected with them. What, I repeat, is the devil able to do. He at least weakens faith, for it is a terrible evil not to believe that God is able to perform works, which our understandings cannot comprehend. But notwithstanding all these combats, though there are some who tell the same person that these discourses are extravagancies, I mean confessors, who are consulted in such cases, and notwithstanding the bad success which happens, and which makes the confessors imagine the things cannot be accomplished. Yet I know not how, but there remains in the soul so bright a spark of security, that the things will happen, though all other hopes be dead, that this spark of security cannot but remain alive. In fine, the word of our Lord, as I said, is accomplished, and the soul is so joyful and glad that she wishes always to be praising his majesty, and this so much the more, for seeing that accomplished which was told her, and on account of the work itself, though it concerns her much. I know not how it happens that the soul esteems the accomplishment of these words so highly, that I believe she would not feel so much, were she herself found to have uttered some untruth, as if she could do otherwise, where she says nothing but what is told her. A certain person very frequently called to mind the prophet Jonas, when he feared whether none of them would be destroyed. In a word, since it is the Spirit of God, it is proper we should show this fidelity to him, by desiring he may not be considered a deceiver, since he is truth itself. Hence, the joy of such a soul is excessive, when after many windings and in most difficult matters, she sees the fulfillment of what she heard, and though the same person might have endured great afflictions, she would rather suffer them than not see that accomplished, which she certainly convinced our Lord spoke. All persons have not, perhaps, this infirmity. If it be an infirmity, for I cannot condemn it as an evil. If these words come from the imagination, there will be none of these signs, nor certainty, nor peace, nor internal delight. It may, however, happen, and I know some to whom it so happened, that being deeply absorbed in the prayer of quiet, and in a spiritual slumber, for some have such a weak constitution or imagination, though I know not the cause, that in this high recollection they are indeed so out of themselves, that exteriorly they seem without sense, and all their senses are so asleep that they resemble a person who is asleep, and perhaps they are really asleep. They imagine, as in a dream, that someone speaks to them, and that they also see things, and they think they come from God, but in the end they leave effects resembling those left by a dream. It may likewise be, that when they ask something of our Lord with earnestness and love, they think they are told what they desire, and this sometimes happens, but one who has much experience in the discourses of God cannot, in my opinion, be deceived herein. There is much to be feared with regard to the devil and the imagination, but if there be the above-mentioned marks, the person may rest assured such words come from God, though not in the same way as if what were spoken related to some important matter, and it was to be performed by the same person, or the discourse related to the affairs of a third person. Then he who would even attempt or think of executing it without the advice of a learned confessor, who was also discreet and a servant of God, would do very wrong, however clearly he might think or understand that it came from God. The reason is because his majesty wishes it, and this is not neglecting to do what his majesty commands, since he has told us to consider our confessor as in his place, where there is no doubt of their being his words. And these help to animate us, if the matter be difficult, and our Lord, when he pleases, will also suggest the truth to the confessor and make him believe that it is his spirit, but when he does not please, they are no longer bound. To act differently from what we have been told, and to be guided herein by our own opinion, I consider to be a very dangerous practice. I warn you then, sisters, in the name of our Lord, to beware, lest this ever happen to you. There is another kind of language with which God speaks to a soul. I consider it quite certain that it comes from him, by a certain intellectual vision of which I shall speak hereafter. This takes place in the interior of the soul, and she seems most clearly to hear with her ears those words spoken by our Lord himself, and so secretly that the very manner of hearing them, together with the operations caused by the vision itself, gives her a certainty that the devil can have no share therein. It leaves after it wonderful effects, which tend to make us believe the vision to be true. At least, there is a certainty that it does not proceed from the imagination, and whoever observes it may always be certain for the following reasons. First, because there is a difference in the clearness of the discourse, for it is so plain that the soul remembers even every syllable of what she has heard. She likewise knows what in particular style the words are spoken, though all may but have one meaning, whereas that which arises in the fancy or imagination is not spoken so clearly, nor so distinctly, but is like something uttered by a person half asleep. Secondly, because what is heard was often not thought of before. I mean, it comes unexpectedly, and sometimes when the person is engaged in conversation, an answer is given to that which suddenly passes through our thoughts, or to that which passed through them before, and often it is in things of which we never had any remembrance that they had been or would be. And hence the imagination could not have framed them in order that the soul might be deceived in fancying to herself what she had not desired, nor wished, nor taken notice of. Thirdly, because then we are like one who hears only, but when it arises from the imagination, it is as if one is composing, by little and little, what he himself wishes to be said to him. Fourthly, because the words are very different, and one of them includes a great deal, which our understanding cannot compose so easily. Fifthly, because together with the words much more is often understood by a way which I am unable to explain, then the words import. But of this mode of understanding I shall speak more at length elsewhere, for it is a very high subject and contributes much to the praise of our Lord. Respecting these several ways and the difference between them, there have been and now are some persons very doubtful. I particularly know one who has tried them by experience. Still, there may be others who could not fully understand them, but the person that I speak of has, I know, considered them with great attention. Our Lord very often bestows this favor upon her. The greatest doubt which she had was, whether she was deceived by her own fancy or no in the beginning, for when it is, the devil may soon be discovered, though he has so many subtleties that he can easily put on the appearance of a spirit of light. And in my opinion, this he will do by speaking so very clearly that there is no question whether the words are heard, just as in the case when they come from the spirit of truth. But he cannot counterfeit the effects mentioned above, nor leave in the soul such peace and light. He will rather leave restlessness and confusion, though he can do little or no harm if the soul be humble and do what I have mentioned, though she must not stir to do anything of herself, whatever she may hear. If the favors and caresses come from our Lord, let her carefully observe whether she consider herself to be better for them, and if, from hearing more loving expressions, she do not become more humble and confounded, then let her be assured that it is not the spirit of God. It is most certain that if it be the good spirit, how much greater the favor is, so much the less does the soul esteem herself. And she remembers her sins the more, and forgets more her own interest, and employs more frequently her will and memory in seeking only God's honor and glory without attending to her own profit. She proceeds too with more caution, lest in anything she might neglect doing God's will. She likewise understands more certainly that she never merited these favors, but rather she deserved hell. Since then all these things and the favors she receives in prayer produce these effects. Let not the soul be troubled, but trust in the mercy of our Lord, who is faithful and will not suffer the devil to delude her, though it is always best for her to live in fear. Possibly someone whom our Lord does not conduct by this way will imagine that such souls may refuse to listen to these words, and if they be interior, may so occupy themselves as to not admit them, and by this means may be free from such dangers. I answer, it is impossible. I do not speak of those words which the fancy forms, which by not too eagerly desiring some things, and by not doing anything suggested by the imagination, find some remedy. But here these words have no remedy, for the same spirit of God which speaks fixes all other thoughts, which attend in such a way to what is spoken, that it seems to me to be something more likely, and so I believe it is, for a person who is very quick at hearing, not to hear another who spoke both near and loudly to him, for this person might not notice the other who speaks, or his thoughts and understanding might be engaged in some other way. But this cannot be the case here, for there are no ears to stop, nor power to think except on what is spoken to her. For he who could stop the Son at the request of Joshua, can also stop the powers and the whole interior. Hence the soul plainly perceives that another Lord governs this castle, who is greater than she is, and this thought produces great devotion and humility in her. Thus she has no remedy for avoiding this. May his Divine Majesty grant we may ever strive to please him, and as I said entirely forget ourselves. Amen. May our Lord grant that I may have correctly explained what I intended, and that it may serve as some direction for those who receive such favors. End of the Sixth Mansion, Chapter 3 The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 4 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The Interior Castle, or the Mansions, by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 4. The Saint explains when God suspends the soul by trance, ecstasy, or rapture, and shows that great courage is necessary for receiving such a favor. What rest can the poor butterfly take with the labors and other afflictions already mentioned? All serve to inflame her desires of enjoying her spouse, and as his Majesty knows our weakness, he continues to prepare her by these and many other things to take courage and choose him for her spouse. You will perhaps laugh at my saying this, and consider it foolishness, because every one of you will think there is no need of courage, and that no woman is so base that would be willing to be espoused to a king. I believe so too, as regards an earthly king, but I tell you, to be espoused to the king of heaven requires more courage than you imagine, for our nature is too mean and timorous for so sublime a thing. I consider it certain also that this would be impossible if God did not bestow the dowry. Here you will see what his Majesty does in order to conclude these espousals, which I believe are ratified when he takes away the senses by raptures, for if in the enjoyment of them our nature should see itself so near this great Majesty, it would perhaps be impossible to continue to live. I speak of true raptures and not of certain infirmities of women which we often see, for everything to us seems to be wraps or ecstasies, and I think I have mentioned before some constitutions are so weak that they seem to be dying if they have only of one prayer of quiet. I will describe some kinds of raptures which I have learned about from those who have had a great deal to do with some spiritual persons. Though I do not know whether I shall be able to explain them as elsewhere I have done when writing on this subject, I wish also to mention some other things which happen here, which for some reasons it seems proper to repeat again, if for nothing else but that the mansions might go on together in order. One kind of rapture is, when the soul though not in prayer being moved by a word which she remembers or hears from God, his Majesty seems to increase the spark before mentioned from the interior of the soul, being moved with compassion to see her so long afflicted with the desire of him for being quite inflamed, she becomes like the phoenix entirely renewed and as one may piously believe her faults are then forgiven, supposing however she has the disposition and makes use of the means which the church prescribes. Being thus pure he unites her to himself without anyone knowing it except only themselves. Even the soul herself does not know it in such a way as to be afterwards to relate it, though she then has her interior senses, for she is not like one in a swoon or fit where nothing is seen interiorly or exteriorly. What I understand is the case is that the soul was never so alive to the things of God, nor had so clear a light and knowledge of his Majesty as she had then. This may seem impossible because if the faculties be so absorbed that we may say they are dead and likewise the senses, how can it be known that the soul understands? This mystery I cannot comprehend and perhaps no other creature but only the Creator himself. Many other things also I cannot understand which happen in this state. I mean in these last two mansions which may well be united together, for there is an entrance open to both. But because in this last mansion some things are not manifested to those who have not entered into it, I thought it best to divide them. When the soul is in this suspension and our Lord considers it good to reveal certain secrets to her such as those which relate to heaven and vision seen by the imagination, these she can afterwards relate because they are so imprinted on her memory that she can never forget them. But when they are intellectual visions she is not able to relate many of them because then some of them are so sublime that it is fit for those who live on earth to know them, though when such souls return to their senses they can relate many of them. Some of you do not perhaps understand what a vision is, especially intellectual ones. This I will explain at the proper time, since he has commanded me to do so who has the power and though it may seem a foolish undertaking, still it may perhaps be useful to some souls. But you will ask me if afterwards there is no remembrance of these high favors which our Lord here bestows on the soul, what use are they to her? Oh daughters, so exceedingly useful are they that their utility cannot be expressed, for she may not be able to mention them yet they are deeply imprinted in the interior of the soul and can never be forgotten. But if they have no representation nor are understood by the faculties, how can they be remembered? This I do not understand but I know well that they remain fixed in the soul certain truths of the greatness of God, that even without faith, which tells her who he is, and that she is bound to believe him to be God, she would adore him as such from that instant, just as Jacob did when he saw the latter on which angels were ascending and descending. Then, no doubt, he told other secrets, which he was unable to relate, and had he not had a more internal light, he would not have discovered such high mysteries. I know not whether I am explaining exactly what I am saying, because, though I have heard it, I am not sure that I remember it properly. Neither was Moses able to relate all that he saw in the bush, but only what God wished him to mention, but had not God discovered to his soul other secrets in a most certain manner, in order that he might see and believe it was God, he would never have been able to endure so many and such great labors. Moses must have learned amongst the thorns of that bush such great things as encouraged him to do what he did for the people of Israel. And so we, sisters, in the hidden things of God, must not seek out reasons in order that we may understand them, but as we believe he is powerful, so it is evident we ought to believe that a worm, having such limited power as we have, is unable to comprehend his greatness. Let us praise him exceedingly, that he is pleased to let us know some of them. I have been wishing to hit upon some comparison, by which I might explain something of this subject on which I am now speaking, and I believe there is none which exactly suits. However, I will mention the following. Suppose you enter a room, or closet as I think it is called, of a king, or some great Lord, where is a great variety of certain kinds of crystal glasses, porcelain, and many other vessels placed in such order that on entering they are almost all seen. I was once conducted into such a room, in the house of the Duchess of Alva, where being on my journey for founding a convent, obedience required me to remain two days at the earnest request of this lady. When I entered the room I was amazed, thinking what could be the use of such a variety of things, and I perceived our Lord might be praised on our beholding so many different things. This comparison comes in very seasonably, since it will serve my purpose here. Now though I remain there only for a short time, such abundance was to be seen that I immediately forgot everything, and I no more remembered all the vases than if I had never seen them, nor could I tell what shape they were, but only in general I remembered having seen them. And so it is here, since the soul has been united with God, and admitted into this chamber of the Imperial Heaven, which we ought to have in the interior of our souls, for it is evident that since God resides in them He possesses some of these mansions. And though when the soul is thus in an ecstasy, our Lord is not always pleased she should see these secrets, for being so absorbed in the enjoyment of Him, she is content with so great a good. Yet sometimes He is pleased that this suspension should leave her, and then immediately she sees what is in that room. Thus, when she returns to herself afterwards, she retains the representation of the greatnesses which she beheld, but she can mention none of them, nor does her natural ability attain to more than He was pleased to allow her supernaturally to see. I already acknowledge that it appears something was seen, and that it is a vision seen by the imagination. I do not wish to say it is such, nor to speak of it here, but only of the intellectual vision. Being unlearned, my ignorance is not able to explain anything properly. Hence, if what I have hitherto said be correct, I know clearly it is not I who spoke it. For my part, I consider that if sometimes, when the soul is in these raptures, she does not understand these secrets which God communicates to her. They are no raptures, but some natural weakness. For it may happen to persons of a weak constitution, as we women are, that by using force, the spirit may overpower nature, and make these persons remain thus absorbed. As I think I have shown, when speaking on the prayer of quiet, these have not the character of raptures, for in true raptures, I believe that God wholly ravishes the soul with himself, and he continues discovering to her, as if to his own spouse, some small part of the kingdom which she has gained, since whatever is in this great God is immense. It is everything. He does not wish to have any disturbance from anything, either from the faculties or from the senses, but he immediately commands all the gates of these mansions to be shut, that gate only where he resides is left open for us to enter at. Blessed be such great mercy, and justly will they be accursed who will not make use of it, but lose so great a Lord. Oh my sisters, what we abandon for him is nothing, and what we do is nothing, or what we can do for such a God, who is thus willing to communicate himself to a worm, and if we hope to enjoy even in this life so great a good, what are we doing? Why do we delay? What recompense can be made us for being hindered only one moment in our search after this Lord, as the spouse did through the streets and roads? Oh, what a mockery is everything in the world if it do not advance us, and help us to reach this Lord, even though all its delights, riches and pleasures were to last forever, and were as great as can be imagined. All is filth and nastiness when compared with these treasures which are to be enjoyed without end, and even these are nothing to be compared with possessing the Lord of all these treasures, the Lord of heaven and earth. Oh, the blindness of men, when, when will this clay be taken from our eyes? Though amongst us who are religious, it does not seem so great as to blind us, yet I see some small motes, some little specks, which, if we allow them to grow, are able to do us great mischief. But for the love of God's sisters, let us turn these defects to our advantage in order to discover our misery, and let them clear our sight the more as the clay cured the blind man whom our spouse healed. Seeing ourselves then to be so imperfect, let us be more fervent in beseeching him to draw good out of our miseries, that so we may please his majesty in everything. I have wandered much from my subject, but pardon me, sisters, and be assured that having arrived at these wonders of God's greatness, I mean having spoken about them. I cannot help feeling great grief when I see what we lose by our own fault. For though it be true they are favors which God bestows on whom he pleases, yet did we love his majesty as he loves us, he would give them to everyone. He desires nothing else but to see someone on whom to bestow them, since thereby his riches are not lessened. But to return to what I was saying, the spouse now commands the doors of the mansions and those of the castle, and the places around it also to be shut. For, as he wishes to ravish this soul, he takes away her breath in such a manner, though the other senses sometimes continue a little longer, yet the speech is quite taken away. At other times she is deprived of all the senses at once, the hands and body grow so cold that there seems to be no life, and sometimes no breath is perceived. This lasts for a short time, I mean in this state. For when this wonderful suspension leaves her for a time, the body seems in some degree to return to itself and take breath, that it may afterwards die again, and so give greater life to the soul. Still, this ecstasy does not continue long. But though it is taken away, the will remains absorbed, and the understanding is so alienated, and this lasts for a day, or several days, that it seems incapable of attending to anything except to what tends to excite the will to love. To this it is quite alive, but asleep as to placing its affections on any creature. When the soul returns to herself again, what is her confusion, and what most earnest desires has she not of giving herself wholly to God in whatever ways he may wish to employ her. If the former prayers produce such effects as those mentioned before, what will such a sublime favor as this produce? She wishes she had a thousand lives in order to give them all to God, and that all things on earth were tongues in order that they might praise him in her stead. Her desires of doing penance are very great, nor does she suffer much in performing it, for the power of love makes her scarcely feel whatever she does, and she sees clearly the martyrs did not do much in suffering their torments. Because with this assistance from our Lord, suffering becomes easy, and hence such souls complain to His Majesty when an opportunity of suffering is not given to them. When this favor is bestowed upon them in private, they value it very highly, because when it happens to them before other people, the shame and confusion it leaves is so great that it deprives the soul in some manner of the suspensions she enjoys by the trouble and anxiety she feels from thinking what those will say who saw it. She knows the malice of the world, and that men will not perhaps view it as it ought to be. For that which they should consider as an opportunity for praising our Lord, they will probably make use of for throwing out censures and rash judgments. This trouble seems to me to be, in some manner, a want of humility, though she cannot help it, because if such a person desired to be despised, what does she care for their censures? One who was in this affliction heard these words from our Lord, be not troubled, for they either will praise me or find fault with thee. In either of these two ways, thou wilt be a gainer. I knew afterwards that this person was exceedingly animated by these words, which I here relate to you in order to help any who may be in the like affliction. It seems our Lord wishes all to understand that this soul is already his, and that no one must touch it. Men may meddle with the body, with honor, and estates, for from all of them his Majesty will derive glory, but they must not touch the soul. And if she do not, by a very culpable boldness, leave her spouse, he will protect her against all the world and all the powers of hell. I know not whether I have been able to make you understand something of what a rapture is, for to explain it fully is, as I said, impossible. And I think nothing has been lost by what I have said, thereby endeavoring to understand what it really is. In counterfeit raptures, the effects are very different. I say counterfeit, not that the person who has them intends to deceive, but she is deceived. And as the marks and effects do not correspond with so great a favor, such a person falls into such disgrace that justly is another not believed afterwards on whom our Lord really bestows the favor. May he be praised and blessed forever and ever. Amen. Amen. End of the Sixth Mansion, Chapter 4. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 5 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ann Boulet. The Interior Castle or the Mansions by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 5. The same discourse is continued. There is another kind of rapture which I call the flight of the spirit, though it is the same in substance as the ordinary rapture, yet it is felt to be very different in the interior. For sometimes there is perceived on a sudden, a movement of the soul so swift that the spirit seems to be hurried away with a violent speed. This at first causes great fear, and therefore I told you that the person on whom God intends to bestow these favors stands in need of great courage and likewise of faith and confidence and perfect resignation into the hands of our Lord to do with the soul whatever He pleases. Do you think it is a small trouble for one to enjoy his senses perfectly and see his soul carried away? We read that some have even their bodies raised also, without knowing whether it goes or who carries it or how it is carried. In the commencement of this sudden movement, there is not so much certainty that it comes from God, but is there any means of resisting it? None, whatever. Rather, it is all the worse for the soul. For I know this is the case with a certain person. Hence it seems God wishes to signify to the soul that, as she has so often and so truly resigned herself into his hands, and with so sincere a will wholly offered herself to him, she must understand that now she has no more right to herself, and hence she is evidently raised up with a more impetuous motion. The person of whom I spoke resolved to act no more than the straw does when it is attracted by amber, if you ever noticed it, and to surrender herself into his hands. Who is so powerful? For she sees it is the safest plan for her to make a virtue of necessity. And because I mentioned straw, it is certain that, as easily as a strong man can lift it up, so can our strong and mighty giant lift up the soul. Thus it seems that whereas before the cistern of water we spoke of, I suppose in the fourth mansion, for I do not remember well, was filled with great sweetness and stillness, I mean without noise. So now this great God, who keeps in the springs of water, and allows not the sea to overflow its bounds, here let's loose the streams and currents from which the water came, and this running with great violence makes such a flood that it raises on high this little vessel of our soul. On this account, as neither a ship nor a pilot, nor those who command it, are able to make the raging and furious billows let it rest where the captain wishes. So much less can the interior of the soul remain where it would desire. Nor can it cause the senses and faculties to do more than what they are commanded, for here no notice is to be taken of the exterior. I am certainly astonished, sisters, by merely writing these remarks, concerning how the immense power of this great king and emperor is here manifested to us. What will he feel then, who experiences this same power? For my own part, I believe that if his majesty discovered himself to the most abandoned men of the world in the same manner as he does to these souls, they would avoid offending him. If not through love, at least through fear. Oh, how much are those obliged to have been instructed by so sublime a way to endeavor with all their strength never to displease this Lord? By him I beseech you, sisters, I speak to those on whom our Lord has bestowed such favors, that you be not negligent and content with only receiving. Consider that whoever owes much should also pay much. For this great courage is necessary, for it terrifies one exceedingly. And if our Lord did not bestow this on the soul, she would always be in great affliction. And if he did not animate her, she would, no doubt, be disheartened. Considering how his majesty acts with her and reflecting also upon herself, that serves him so little in comparison to what she is obliged to do. And this very little which she does is full of failings, imperfections, and tapidity. In order, therefore, that she may not remember how imperfectly she performs any work if she does any. She thinks it best to endeavor to forget it and to place her sins continually before her eyes, relying on God's mercy and beseeching him that, since she has nothing to pay him with, the pity and mercy which he has always shown towards sinners may supply her defect. He may perhaps give her the answer which he gave to a certain person who was in great distress before a crucifix, from considering that she never had anything to give to God or to abandon for his sake, to whom the crucified said, comforting her by these words, that he gave her all the labors and pains which he suffered in his passion, and that she was to consider them as her own and offer them to his father. The soul immediately became so rich and so consoled, as I heard from the person herself, that she cannot yet forget it, but every time that she sees herself so miserable, the remembrance of these words animates and consoles her. Many such things I could mention here, which I know well, by having spoken with so many persons of devotion and prayer, but lest you might think I was alluding to myself, I will not speak of them. This seems to me very useful for showing you how much our Lord is pleased with our knowing ourselves and with our continually endeavoring to consider again and again our poverty and misery, and how we have nothing except what we have received. Hence, my sisters, courage is necessary for this and for many other things which happen to a soul, which our Lord has already conducted to this state, and, in my opinion, if there be humility, more courage is necessary for this latter favor than for any other. I mean, for considering our poverty and misery, may our Lord, in His mercy, grant it to us. Let us return now to this sudden rapture of the Spirit. The rapture takes place in such a manner that the soul really seems to go out of the body, and yet, on the other hand, it is evident that the person is not dead. At least, she cannot say whether for a few moments the soul be in the body or not. It seems to her that she has been altogether in another region quite different from this world in which we live, and there another light is shown to her very different from this here below, and though she should employ all her life long in trying to form an idea of this and other wonders, yet it would be impossible to understand them. She is in an instant taught so many things together that should she spend many years in arranging them in her thoughts and imagination, she could not remember the one-thousandth part of them. This is not an intellectual but an imaginary vision, and it is seen with the eyes of the soul much better than we see things here with the eyes of the body, and without words certain things are discovered to her. If she should see any of the saints, she knows them as well as if she had conversed with them for a length of time. At other times, together with what she beholds with the eyes of the soul, other wonders are there represented to her by the intellectual vision, particularly a multitude of angels with their Lord, and without seeing anything with her corporeal eyes by a wonderful knowledge which I cannot express, this of which I am speaking and many other things are represented to her which are not to be mentioned. Whoever shall experience these things himself and shall have better abilities than I possess, may perhaps be able to explain them, however difficult they may appear to be. Whether all these things take place in the body or no, I cannot say. At least I would not swear it is in the body nor that the body is without the soul. I have often thought how, when the sun is in the heavens, his rays have such force that without the sun changing his place they immediately reach this earth, and so it is here for the soul and the spirit which are one and the same just as the sun and the rays are, though remaining in her place that is in the body, may by virtue of the heat communicated to her from the true sun of justice soar above herself in the superior part. In a word, I know not what I say. The truth is that with the same swiftness with which a bullet passes out of a gun when the fire is applied, so does a flight take place in the interior of the soul. I know no other name for it, which, though it makes no noise, still causes a movement so manifest that in no manner can it be taken as the effect of fancy. And as the soul is, as it were, out of herself, as far as I can understand, great secrets are revealed to her and when she returns again to her senses, it is with such immense gain and with such contempt for all earthly things that everything seems mean to her in comparison with what she has seen. Ever after, she lives in the world with great regret and she cares not at all for any of those things which once used to seem beautiful to her. It seems our Lord was pleased to show her something of that land towards which she is going. As those of the people of Israel who were sent beforehand to the land of promise brought back things which show the nature of the country, in order that she may endure the difficulties of this journey and may know where she must hasten to find true repose. And though that which passes away so quickly may seem to you not to be very profitable, yet so great are the benefits it leaves in the soul that he only who has experienced them can tell their worth. Hence we may clearly see that such things do not come from the devil and that they should come from our own imagination is impossible since the devil can represent nothing which leaves in the soul such great effects, such peace, such quiet and profit and especially three things are left in a high degree. The first is a knowledge of the greatness of God for the more we see of it the more we are able to understand it. The second is the knowledge of ourselves and humility in considering how base we are in comparison with the creator of so many wonderful things and how we have dared to offend him how we dare not to look upon him. The third is a contempt for all earthly things unless there be some which she can apply to the service of so great a God. These are the jewels which the spouse begins to give his bride and they are so valuable that she will be most careful of them for these visions are so ingrained in her memory that I believe it is impossible for her to forget them till she gets possession of them forever unless it be through her own fault but the spouse who gives them to her is able to bestow his grace upon her so that she may never lose them but to return to the courage of which she stands in need do you think it is so trifling a matter? The soul really seems separated from the body because she sees the senses lost and does not understand for what purpose. It is necessary then that he who gives all the other gifts should give this also. You will reply this fear is well rewarded. I say the same. May he be blessed forever who can give so liberally and may his majesty be pleased to grant that we may be worthy to serve him. Amen. End of the sixth mansion chapter 5 The sixth mansion chapter 6 of the interior castle This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ann Boulet The interior castle or the mansions by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton The sixth mansion chapter 6 She mentions some of the effects of the prayer of which she spoke in the preceding chapters, etc. From these sublime favors the soul so ardently desires wholly to enjoy him who bestows them on her that she lives in a great though delightful torment and she has also a certain longing to die and hence with continual tears does she beg of God that he would take her out of this exile everything that she sees in it wearies her in solitude she finds some ease and then this sorrow comes upon her immediately but without it she is not content in a word this poor butterfly meets with no repose that lasts for any time still as the soul is so full of tender love any opportunity which presents itself to her of encandling this fire more and more makes her take wing Hence in this mansion raptures are very common without her having any means to avoid them even when they take place in public persecutions and slanders immediately follow for though she desires to be without fears they will not leave her because there are many who cause them especially confessors and though on the one hand she seems to have great security in the interior of the soul especially when she is all alone with God yet on the other hand she is in great affliction because she fears less the devil might deceive her so as to make her offend him whom she loves so tenderly she is little troubled about what people say against her except when her own confessor afflicts her as if she could do more she does nothing but entreat everyone to pray for her and beseech his majesty to guide her by some other way she is told to do so because this is so extremely dangerous but as she has found such great benefit by the other way she cannot help thinking that she is walking according to what she sees and hears and knows in the commandments of God and this is the path which conducts her to heaven hence she cannot but help desiring this way though she might wish not to do so still she resigns herself into the hands of God then again her inability to desire what she is told troubles her likewise because she thinks it is an act of disobedience to her confessor and it seems to her that in obeying him and endeavoring not to offend our Lord the remedy lies for not being deceived hence she would not willingly commit a venial sin even though she were to be cut in pieces and she is exceedingly afflicted to see how she cannot be free from committing many willfully God gives these souls so great a desire of not offending him in the least thing and if possible of not committing even the slightest imperfection that for this reason alone were there no other she would fly from all men she envies those who live and those who formerly lived in deserts on the other hand she would have no objection to be placed in the midst of the world in order to try if she could be instrumental in making only one soul praise God more earnestly if a woman she grieves that her sex puts a restraint upon her which prevents her from doing it and she envies those exceedingly who have the power of crying out with a loud voice and of proclaiming who this great God of hosts is oh poor butterfly thou art bound by many chains which will not allow thee to fly as far as thou desirous have pity on her my God dispose everything now in such a manner that so she may in some degree fulfill her desires for thy honor and glory regard not her small merits nor her natural baseness thou art able oh Lord to cause the mighty sea to retire and great Jordan to divide that the children of Israel may pass over but do not pity her for aided by thy power she will be able to bear many crosses she is determined to do so she desires to bear them extend oh Lord thy mighty arm let not her life be spent on things so base let thy greatness appear in so low and feminine a creature that men seeing she can do nothing of herself may praise thee cost what it may this is what she desires and she would give a thousand lives if she had so many that so by her means one soul might praise thee a little more and she would consider them all as very well bestowed knowing perfectly well that she does not deserve to suffer the least cross for thee and how much less death I know not sisters why I have spoken thus I do not understand myself you must know that these are the effects which remain after such suspensions and they admit no doubt whatever for they are not desires which pass away but they are fixed and constant and when any opportunity offers itself of discovering them she sees that they are not feigned but why do I say they are fixed sometimes even in mean and trifling things the soul feels she is cowardly and so timorous that it seems impossible for her to have courage for anything whatever I believe that our lord then leaves her in her natural state for her own greater good for at that time she understands that if ever she had courage for anything his majesty gave it to her and this truth she sees with such great clearness as leaves her annihilated and more experienced in the mercy and greatness of our lord who is pleased to manifest them in so vile a creature but most generally she is in the state I spoke of before one thing observed sisters in these ardent desires of seeing God these that sometimes being so oppressive they must not be increased but if possible directed in some other way I say if possible because in some cases of which I shall speak hereafter this would be quite impossible as you will see in these first it may sometimes be done because the reason is so entire as to conform itself to the will of God and say what saint martin did if the desires press as much the thought may be turned to something else because as they are the desires of persons who are very far advanced the devil may well excite them to make us believe we are of that number hence it is always good to walk in fear for my part I consider that the devil cannot counterfeit the quiet and peace which this pain produces in the soul rather will some passion be excited like that by which we are disturbed and worldly matters but he who has no experience either in one or the other will never understand this matter for thinking it's something very great he will increase the desires all he can and thus injure his health very seriously for this pain is continual at least very frequent observe likewise that a weak constitution usually causes some of these troubles especially if the person be of a tender nature and grieve about every trifle which makes them a thousand times inclined to think that they are weeping for God though it be not the case it may also happen that a person from hearing the least word or from thinking upon God may shed abundance of tears and not be able to resist them because there is some humor at the heart which tends more to produce this effect than the love which she has for God and it seems she cannot stop weeping such persons having heard that tears are good do not suppress them they wish for nothing else and therefore they increase them all they can the object of the denial herein is that they may weaken themselves in such a way that afterwards they may be unable either to make use of prayer or observe their rule me thinks that you are wondering as if you wish to ask me what then are you to do if I consider there is danger in everything since though tears are good there may be a delusion in them perhaps I am myself deluded in this respect but believe me I speak not without reason for I have seen this delusion happen to some persons though not to me for I am not at all tender rather I have a heart so hard that it sometimes gives me pain yet when the fire within is great however hard the heart may be it drops like an alembic we may easily discover if the tears proceed hence for they are more strengthening and pacific than turbulent and very seldom they do us any harm the good which comes from this delusion when it is such is this that it injures the body not the soul if there be humility if there be not humility it will be no harm to entertain this suspicion let us not suppose that all consists in weeping much but rather in working and practicing virtues for these are what we ought to value most let tears come when God sends them without our endeavoring to cause them the tears which God sends will leave this dry ground watered and are a greater help for procuring fruit though we may esteem them but little because this is the water which descends from heaven but what we draw up by the strength of our arm is not to be compared to this since we may often dig and weary ourselves and not meet with a small pool of water and how much less than with a fine spring I consider it best then sisters that we should place ourselves in the presence of our Lord and consider his mercy and greatness together with our own baseness and let him afterwards give us what he pleases either water or aridity he knows much better than we do what is proper for us by this means we shall enjoy rest and quiet and the devil will have no opportunity of playing tricks upon us among these sweet yet painful favors our Lord also gives sometimes certain transports and a strange kind of prayer which she does not understand but I mention it here in order that you may praise him exceedingly should he be pleased to grant you this favor and that you may know it is something which really happens it is in my opinion a close union of the powers though our Lord here leaves them with our liberty in order that they may possess this joy and the same also happens to the senses without they're knowing what they enjoy nor how they enjoy it this may seem something very odd and strange but the thing certainly happens it is a joy of the soul so excessive that she does not wish to possess it alone herself but to tell it to all men that so they may help her to praise our Lord for this is the object and end of all her movements oh what festivals would she keep and what signs would she show if she could that all might know her joy she seems to have found herself and therefore with the father of the prodigal son she wishes to invite everyone to behold her in her present state for then she has no doubt of her being in security I am persuaded she has reasons for this security for it is impossible the devil should cause such great joy in the very interior of the soul together with such a peace hence her whole delight is to excite all others to praise God it is very painful to her that being possessed with such a transported joy she can be silent and can dissemble this it was no doubt which st. Francis felt when some robbers met him as he was crying out in the fields and he told them that he was the herald of the great king other saints also went into the desert that like st. Francis they might proclaim the praises of their God I knew one who did this these st. Peter of Alcantara who might consider to be a saint on account of his life yet those who heard him sometimes thought he was a fool oh happy foolishness sisters should God give it to us all what a favor he has bestowed upon you to confine you to a place where though he should bestow this upon you and give you proofs of it it would rather help you than be an occasion of your meeting with reproach as it would certainly do if we lived in the world where men are so little accustomed to hear the praises of God published that no wonder they notice such a thing oh wretched times and miserable life we now live in happy those souls whose lot has been so fortunate as to be free from these dangers it is sometimes a particular pleasure to me when as these sisters stand before me I see they have such inward joy that they give to the very best of their power the greatest praises to our Lord for they're living in a monastery and it is very evident that these proceed from the interior of the soul this sisters I wish you often to do for one who begins excites the rest upon what can your tongues be better employed when you are together then the praises of God since we are so much obliged there too may his majesty vouchsafe often to grant us this kind of prayer since it is so secure and profitable we cannot acquire it by our own strength because it is so exceedingly supernatural and sometimes it continues a whole day at which time the soul is like one who has drunk too much yet not so much as to lose her senses or to be like one who is melancholy that has not quite lost his reason but who does not forget what has been impressed on his imagination nor can anyone make him forget these are very rude comparisons we're with to illustrate so precious a subject but my understanding cannot discover any better the case then is this this joy makes the soul so unmindful of herself and all things else that she pays no regard to anything else nor can she speak of anything else except what proceeds from this her joy these the praises of God let us help this soul my daughters why do we desire to have more understanding what can give us greater pleasure may all creatures assist us herein forever and ever amen amen amen end of the sixth mansion chapter six the sixth mansion chapter seven of the interior castle this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ann Boulet the interior castle or the mansions by saint Teresa of Avila translated by the reverend John Dalton the sixth mansion chapter eight she speaks of a kind of grief which souls feel for their sins on whom God bestows the favors mentioned in the preceding chapters etc you may think perhaps sisters that those souls to whom our Lord so especially communicates himself will on that account be so secure in their enjoying him forever as never to fear or bewail their former sins and those particularly may think so who have not obtained these favors for if they have ever had them and they came from God they will understand what I say but this is a great mistake since the sorrow for sin increases still more as more is received from God for my part I believe that till we arrive where nothing can disturb us this sorrow will never leave us true it afflicts us more at one time than another and likewise in a different manner such a soul does not remember the punishment she deserves for them but how very ungrateful she has been to one to whom she owes so much and who so greatly deserves to be served since by these sublime favors which he communicates to her she discovers so much the better the greatness of God she is astonished at her boldness she laments her disrespect and her conduct seems so foolish that she never ceases to lament it when she remembers how for such base things she deserted so great a majesty she reflects much more on this than on the favors she receives which being so great as I have already mentioned and she'll have to mention respecting others which are to come seem to be carried away by a swift stream and removed at their time the stream of her sins always appears like mud and remains in her memory and a very heavy cross it is I know a person who independent of her desire to die that she might see God wish for death in order that she might not so frequently feel the torment she suffered for considering her base in gratitude to him to whom she was and ever would be so indebted hence she thought no one's faults could equal hers because she knew there was none whom God has so patiently endured and upon whom he had conferred so many favors as to hell they have no fear of it but the fear of losing God sometimes troubles them exceedingly this however is very seldom all their fear is less God should forsake them and take his hand away from them and thus allow them to offend him they are also afraid lest they fall into a state as miserable as they were ever in for they take little care either about their own pain or glory and if they desire not to remain long in purgatory it is rather because they wish not to be absent from God during the time they remain there than for the torments they are to endure I do not consider it safe for a soul however much she may be favored by God to forget how she was sometimes in a miserable state because though this be a painful thought yet in many respects it is of great advantage because I have been so wicked this perhaps is the reason why it appears so to me and why I have the remembrance always in my mind those who have been good will have nothing to lament over though there are always imperfections while we live in this mortal body the pain is not relieved at all by considering that our Lord has already pardoned our sins and forgotten them it is even increased by beholding such goodness and mercy bestowed upon one who deserves nothing but hell I think that this must have been the great martyrdom which St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalene endured for as they possessed so intense a love and had received so many favors and knew the greatness and majesty of God so the remembrance of their sins must indeed have been a very great affliction to them and they must have felt it very tenderly you may likewise imagine that one who enjoys such high favors need not meditate on the mysteries of the most sacred humanity of Christ our Lord because she is already wholly employed and exercised in love on this point I have written elsewhere at length and though I have met with opposition and have been told that I did not understand the subject because there are many ways by which our Lord conducts souls and that after the beginnings have been passed it is best to exercise oneself in matters relating to the divinity and to avoid corporeal subjects yet they cannot make me acknowledge that this is a safe way it may be I am mistaken or that we all mean the same thing but I saw that the devil thereby wished to deceive me and I have suffered so much from his deceits that I think it best here to repeat the same again to you though I have often said it before great caution and care are necessary see that for what I venture to tell you you do not believe those who speak differently I will endeavor to explain my meaning better than I have elsewhere because if perhaps anyone should have written on the subject as I have been told and should have entered at some length into it he may have spoken well but to speak on the matter in general terms to us who do not understand much may do great harm some souls may think that they cannot meditate on the passion and much less on the blessed virgin or on the lives of the saints from the remembrance of whom we derive such great benefit and comfort I cannot understand what they meditate upon if thus they abstract themselves from everything corporeal for to be always on fire with love belongs to angelic spirits not to us who live in the mortal body and who must of necessity discourse think of and associate with those who having the same bodies etc did such heroic actions for God how much less should we intentionally separate ourselves from our only good and our only remedy these the most sacred humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ I cannot believe they do so but rather I think they do not understand themselves and so they will injure both themselves and others at least I can assure them they will not enter these last two mansions for if they lose the guide these our good Jesus they will not find the right way there it is sufficient if they have already arrived safely at the other mansions our Lord himself says I am the way and the light and that none can come to the Father except by him and that whoever seeeth him seeeth his Father it will be said these words have another meaning I do not understand this meaning except that which my soul always feels to be the truth and with this I have hitherto gone on very well there are some souls and many of them have spoken with me on the subject whom our Lord having raised to perfect contemplation they desire always to remain there but this cannot be by the goodness of our Lord however they are affected in such a manner that they cannot afterwards meditate on the mysteries of the passion and life of Christ as they used once to do I know not the reason of this but it happens very commonly that the understanding is then quite indisposed for meditation I believe the reason is this that as in meditation God is entirely sought after so when he is once found and the soul is accustomed to seek him again by the operation of the will she is unwilling to trouble herself by making use of the understanding it also seems to me that the will being already encendled this noble faculty does not wish to make use of the other if it could and it acts not amiss but this will be impossible especially till she has arrived at the last two mansions it is also a loss of time because in order that the will may be able to inflame the soul it often stands in need of being helped by the understanding observe this point sisters for it is very important and therefore I will explain it a little more the soul still desires to be wholly employed in love and would wish to attend to nothing else but she cannot though she would because though the will be not dead yet the fire which used to inflame her is so extinct that it is necessary for someone to blow it in order that it may diffuse its heat would it be proper that the soul being in this aridity should stand expecting fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice which she makes of herself to God as our holy father Elias did certainly not it is not proper for us to expect miracles our lord performs them as I have already said and shall mention further for the sake of this soul when he pleases but his majesty wishes us to consider ourselves so wicked that we do not deserve he should perform them and in the meantime that we should help ourselves as much as possible for my part I believe that however elevated our prayer may be this is necessary till we die it is indeed true that he whom our lord admits into the seventh mansion very seldom or ever stands in need of this diligence for reasons which I shall mention there if I remember to do so but it is very common for her not to be absent from Christ our lord for she walks with him in a wonderful manner by which the divinity and humanity are together her constant company hence when the fire I spoke of before is not incandled in the will nor the presence of God perceived it is necessary we should seek for it for this it is which his majesty desires as the spouse did in the canticles and that we asked created things who made you as st. Austin did I find he did so in his meditations or confessions we must not stand like sheep spending our time in waiting that which was once given to us perhaps at first our lord may not bestow again in a year and not even during many years his majesty knows the reason we should not desire to know it nor have we any reason to desire it since we understand by what way we can please God these by the way of his commandments and councils let us be very careful in observing them and in meditating on his life and death and remember how much we are indebted to him let the rest come when our Lord shall please but they reply they cannot dwell upon these subjects on account of what I have mentioned they have perhaps some reason for saying so now you already know that it is one thing to discourse with the understanding and another for the memory to represent a thing to the understanding you will say perhaps you do not understand me this may indeed arise from my inability to express myself properly but I will do what I can I call that meditation when we discourse with the understanding in this way suppose we begin to think on the favor God bestowed upon us and giving us his only son and we stop not here but pass on to the mysteries of his glorious life or let us begin with his prayer in the garden the understanding stays not till it considers him fixed on the cross again we may take some point of passion to meditate on as for instance his apprehension and we proceed in this mystery to consider at length the things which are to be observed such as the treachery of Judas the flight of the apostles together with other things which followed this is an admirable and very meritorious kind of prayer this is what as I remarked those souls may have reason to say whom God has raised to supernatural things and to perfect contemplation that they cannot make use of this kind of prayer why as I said I know not nor do I know the cause of it but in general they cannot make use of it yet none have reason to say they cannot dwell upon these mysteries nor often present them to their understanding especially since the catholic church celebrates them but it is impossible that a soul which has received so much from God should lose the remembrance of such precious proofs of love since they are so many live sparks which will inflame the more that love which she has for our Lord it is impossible also for her not to understand them the soul understands these mysteries in a more perfect way for the understanding represents them to her and they become so fixed in her memory that merely beholding our Lord prostrate on the ground in that dreadful sweat is sufficient to occupy her not for one hour only but for many days considering with a simple view who he is and how ungrateful we have been for such great sufferings the will immediately comes in though not with a sensible tenderness to desire to serve him in something for such wonderful kindness and to suffer something likewise for one who endured so much for us with other such like desires wherein the memory and understanding are occupied this I believe is the reason why she can proceed no further in discoursing on the passion and this likewise makes her think she cannot meditate upon it if she do not this it is proper she should endeavor to do it because I know that even very sublime prayer will not prevent her and I consider it is not good unless we are often exercise in this kind of meditation if on this account our Lord should favor her with suspensions well and good because though she be unwilling he will make her leave what she is thinking about I consider it certain that this method of proceeding is no impediment but a great help to all that is good but this it would not be should she weary herself much in discoursing as I said at first I consider likewise that one who has arrived further cannot do it possibly it may be otherwise because God leads by several ways but let not those be blamed who cannot go along this way nor let them be judged unfit to possess such rich treasures as those are which are contained in the mysteries of Jesus Christ our good nor shall anyone however spiritual he may be persuade me that he does right who sometimes does not meditate upon them there are certain principles and likewise means which some souls make use of who beginning to arrive at the prayer of quiet and to relish the sweets and delights which our Lord gives them as steam in a great thing to be continually pleasing themselves therein now let them believe me and not be absorbed so much as I have said elsewhere for life is long and in it are many troubles and hence in order to bear them with perfection we must consider how our pattern Jesus Christ and how his apostles and saints bore them the presence of our good Jesus and that of his most holy mother is very good company we must not leave them he is exceedingly pleased when we are affected with his sufferings though we sometimes lose thereby our own pleasure and delight much more is he pleased because the delight found in prayer is not so frequent but that we may have time for everything if it be said that the soul continues in the same state I should suspect this assertion I speak of one who cannot do what I mentioned before and do you likewise suspect it and endeavor to be free from this deceit and with all your strength endeavor to keep yourselves from having delights if this be of no use inform the superior s of the matter that she may appoint you in office of such care and responsibility as may free you from this danger for it is very offensive at least to the mind that it should continue long I believe I have now shown how proper it is however spiritual the individuals may be not so much to shun corporeal things as to think that even the most sacred humanity of Christ might be injurious to them they allege what our Lord said to his disciples that it was expedient he should go this I cannot allow certainly he did not say so to his blessed mother for she was strong in faith because she knew he was both god and man and though she loved him more than the disciples yet it was with such great perfection that his presence rather increased it the apostles then it is said by these people must not have been so firm in the faith as they were afterwards and as we now have reason to be I tell you daughters I consider it to be a dangerous way for hereby the devil may be able to make us lose all our devotion to the most blessed sacrament the delusion in which I once seemed to have been entangled did not proceed so far as this but only I did not feel any pleasure in meditating so much on our Lord Jesus Christ I rather wish to remain in this inebriation and to await the delights thereof I clearly saw however that I was going wrong for since I could not always have this delight my thoughts went roving here and there and my soul was like a bird flying up and down and finding no place in which to rest thus I was losing a great deal of time without advancing in virtue or gaining in prayer and I knew not the cause nor in my opinion should I ever have known it because it seemed to me a very right way till having spoken about my prayer to a great servant of God he gave me some advice concerning it I afterwards clearly perceived how much I was mistaken and I never give over lamenting that there ever was a time wherein I did not understand that it is hard to gain with such great loss and though I could easily yet I would not desire any good unless it were obtained by means of him from whom all good things descend may he be blessed forever amen. End of the sixth mansion chapter seven. The sixth mansion chapter eight of the interior castle this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Anne Boulet the interior castle or the mansions by Saint Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The sixth mansion chapter eight she shows how God communicates himself to the soul by an intellectual vision etc in order that you may be convinced sisters that what I have said is the truth and that in proportion as the soul advances further she is admitted more into the company of her good Jesus it will be proper to show that we cannot avoid being always with his majesty when he is pleased we should this we shall clearly see by the ways and methods whereby his majesty communicates himself to us and discovers to us the love he has for us by certain apparitions and visions so very wonderful that I will mention them here in order that you may not be afraid whenever our Lord is pleased to bestow any such favors upon you may our Lord enable me to do this properly in order that we may praise him even though they should not be bestowed upon us for being thus pleased to communicate himself to a creature he is so great a majesty hence it is that when the soul is not thinking of receiving such a favor nor imagines that she ever merited it she perceives our Lord Jesus Christ to be near her though she sees him not with the eyes of the body nor with those of the soul this is called an intellectual vision for what reason I know not I know a person on whom God has conferred this favor together with others which I shall mention here after this person was at first exceedingly afflicted because she could not understand what it was she saw nothing and yet she knew for certain that it was Christ our Lord who in that manner discovered himself neither could she doubt of his presence still she was in fear and doubted whether the vision came from God or no though it brought along with it wonderful effects thus proving that it came from God she never heard of an intellectual vision nor did she think there was any such thing but she clearly understood that it was our Lord who often spoke to her in the manner mentioned above for until he bestowed this favor upon her she never knew who spoke to her though she heard words being terrified about this vision for it is not like imaginary ones which pass away immediately but this continues for many days and sometimes even more than a year I know that she went to her confessor in very great sorrow he asked how she knew it was our Lord since she saw nothing he also requested her to inform him what kind of countenance he had she answered that she knew not because she did not see any countenance nor could she tell anything but what she said though she knew well it was he who spoke to her and that it was not the effect of fancy though many fears were raised in her yet often she could not doubt his presence especially when he said to her fear not it is I these words had such powerful effects that she could have no doubts then but rather she was greatly encouraged and cheered by such good company which she found to be very useful to her towards enabling her to have God continually in her remembrance and to be very careful not to do anything displeasing to him for she seemed always to be beholding him every time she desired to speak with his majesty in prayer or out of prayer she thought he was so near that he could not help hearing her though to hear him speak was not granted when she pleased but on a sudden when there was need she saw him on her right hand but not with those senses by which we discover a person standing near us for this happens in a more subtle manner which cannot be expressed but it is as certain and even more so than by the senses by these there may be a delusion but in this way there is none because it is attended with immense gain and interior effects which would not be were melancholy the cause much less could the devil effect so much good nor would the soul enjoy such great peace or should continual desires of pleasing God or such contempt for whatever does not conduce to unite us with him she afterwards clearly understood that it did not proceed from the devil for by degrees our lord discovered himself more to her i know however that sometimes she was exceedingly fearful and at other times greatly confounded not knowing when so great a good could come to her she and i were so much one in the same person that nothing passed in her soul with which i was not acquainted so that i can be a good witness and you may believe me that whatever i shall say on this subject is true this is a favor of our lord which brings with a great confusion of oneself and great humility but were it from the devil the effect would be quite the opposite since then it clearly proves itself to be given by God for no human industry is able to obtain such feelings whoever receives it can in no way whatever imagine that it is a favor of his own but that it comes from the hand of God and although in my opinion some of the above mentioned favors be greater yet this brings a particular knowledge of God along with it and from holding this continual converse there arises a most tender love for his majesty and certain desires greater than those already mentioned of giving ourselves entirely to his service and also a great purity of conscience because the presence of this lord who is so near her makes her attentive to everything and though we know God sees and is present at everything we do yet such is our nature that we neglect to reflect upon this truth but this cannot happen here for the lord who stands so near excites us and keeps us attentive this presence likewise disposes us for receiving the above mentioned favors because as the soul is almost continually in actual love towards him whom she sees and understands to be near her those favors become much more frequent in a word the gain which the soul receives lets her see what a very great favor it is and how highly it ought to be valued and how much we should thank our lord who bestows it upon us without our being able to merit it for no earthly treasure or delight can be exchanged hence when our lord is pleased to take it away from her she is in great affliction and all possible diligence on our part in order to gain that intercourse is a little avail for our lord bestows it when he pleases it cannot be acquired sometimes also it is the company of some saint and this likewise is very profitable you will ask if nothing be seen how do we know whether the vision be Christ or some saint or his glorious mother this the soul is unable to express or to conceive how she understands it still she knows it with the greatest certainty when our lord speaks it seems more easy but a saint who does not speak and who only appears to be placed there by our lord for the company and assistance of this soul causes more wonder there are also other spiritual things which cannot be expressed but by them is discovered how base our nature is that so we may understand the greatness of God since we are not capable of understanding the other things whoever then shall receive them let him with admiration hasten to praise his majesty and give to him particular thanks for them for as these are favors not granted to all he ought to prize them highly and endeavor to serve God the more who helps him in so many ways hence it is that such a soul does not think any better of herself but rather that she serves God the least among all who are on the earth because she considers herself to be more obliged to serve him and any imperfection she falls into pierces her very vowels and this too with reason any one of you whom our lord shall conduct in this way may easily observe these effects which remain in the soul so that you may understand it is no delusion or fancy for as i have said before i consider it impossible that the vision were it the effect of fancy or the delusion of the devil should continue so long or benefit the soul in so remarkable a manner and cause her to enjoy such interior peace this is not the custom of the devil for being so bad he cannot if he wished produce such great good since fumes of self-esteem would immediately follow and a conceit of being better than other people but the soul being thus continually in the presence of God and having her attention so employed upon him would discuss the fiend so much that though he might sometimes tempt her he would not do so often and God is so faithful that he will not permit him to have such power over a soul that has no other object but that of pleasing his majesty and of laying down her life for his honor and glory he will soon so order things that she will be undeceived my conviction is and will be that if the soul proceed in the manner mentioned before though these favors of our lord may cease his majesty will not let her lose though he may sometimes permit the devil to attack her yet he will always go away confounded if then daughters any of you should be led this way be not dismayed still it is good to fear let us use more circumspection and be less confident less by being so highly favored you might grow more negligent this would be a sign that such favors did not come from God if you did not find the effects which i have mentioned before it is good to mention this in the beginning to some very learned person under the seal of confession since such are the individuals who can enlighten or if it can be done to a very spiritual person if not a learned person is better but the best of all if there be an opportunity to both the one and the other should they tell you it is your fancy be not troubled at it for fancy can neither injure nor benefit your soul much recommend yourself to the divine majesty who will not allow you to be deceived if they tell you it comes from the devil the trouble will be greater though a good scholar will not tell you so should there be the effects mentioned above but even though he should tell you so i know that this same lord who walks with you will console and protect you and enlighten him to instruct you i advise you to make choice of one who is very learned and if you can of one who is also spiritual if he be one who though addicted to the exercise of prayer is not conducted by our lord along this way he will immediately wonder and condemn it let the priores then be asked to give you leave to consult a learned person because though the soul be secure by seeing the good life she leads yet the priores is obliged to let her mention the matter to another in order that both may go on in security when she has spoken with these persons let her be quiet and trouble herself know more about the matter for sometimes without any grounds for fear the devil suggests such immoderate scruples that the soul is not satisfied with having spoken once with these persons especially if the confessor have little experience and seems timorous and he too should command her to mention it thus that is published which ought to be kept very secret and then this soul comes to be persecuted and tormented for what she thinks is secret she sees is public hence arise many troubles for her and these may likewise fall upon the order considering what times we live in thus great caution is required herein and I strongly recommend it to the prioress let them not suppose that a sister who has such favors is better than the others our lord guides everyone as he sees necessary if she make good use of these they will prepare and dispose her for becoming a great servant of god but sometimes god leads the weakest this way and so there is nothing herein to approve or condemn we must look to virtues only and esteem her the most who serves our lord with the greatest mortification humility impurity of conscience since she is the most holy although we can know little for certain here below until the true judge shall reward everyone according to his merits then we shall wonder at seeing how different his judgment is from what we are able to understand here below may he be praised forever amen end of the sixth mansion chapter eight